North Dakota

When schools in Bismarck, N.D., scheduled parent-teacher conferences this school year, some chose a Tuesday instead of a Wednesday so as not to compete with the customary “church night” activities for youths in the capital city. Too bad it turned out to be Election Day.

Gov. John Hoeven outlined a plan last week to take advantage of North Dakota’s economic good fortune by spending more state money on education while allowing local governments to reduce their school funding.

Voters in some states didn't show a lot of generosity toward schools as they voted down measures that would have provided more funding for education in Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, and Ohio. But proposals in three states that had the potential to restrict spending on schools-the idea known as a Taxpayer's Bill of Rights-were rejected, early returns showed.

It wasn’t until he took a helicopter ride over Grand Forks, N.D., that Superintendent Mark Sanford realized how much work was ahead to rebuild his school system and a city ravaged by the overflowing of the Red River.

An agreement announced July 18 between North Dakota and South Dakota will allow students living near the border of the two states to attend the schools closest to their homes, eliminating longer bus rides for some students.

After nearly 40 years in elected office, North Dakota schools chief Wayne G. Sanstead has formed an enviable bond with voters and schoolchildren throughout his state. But the brisk 70-year-old has drawn increasing criticism from teachers and administrators.